Bill C-263

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First Reading

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	1st Session, 37th Parliament, 49-50 Elizabeth II, 2001
	House of Commons of Canada
	BILL C-263
	An Act to establish a national committee to develop policies and procedures to ensure coordination in the delivery of programs by governments in the case of agricultural losses or disasters created by weather, pests, shortages of goods or services or market conditions, and the coordination of the delivery of information, assistance, relief and compensation, and to study the compliance of such programs with World Trade Organization requirements
	Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
Short title	1. This Act may be cited as the National Agriculture Industry Relief Coordination Act.
Definitions	2. The definitions in this section apply in this Act.
``Committee'' « comité »	``Committee'' means the National Safety Net Review Committee established by the Minister and continued by section 3.
``Minister'' « ministre »	``Minister'' means the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
``protection program'' « programme de protection »	``protection program'' means a program established by or pursuant to one or more Acts of Parliament or of the legislature of a province that has as its purpose the protection of farmers from unusual losses incurred as a result of
	(a) disasters or unusual conditions of nature, such as those caused by weather or pests,
	(b) events beyond the control of a producer that affect the availability of goods or services required by the producer, including transportation services, or
	(c) market conditions, including fluctuations in the supply of or changes in the demand for such an agricultural product as defined in the Farm Income Protection Act, or a grade of such an agricultural product,
	and includes a crop insurance program, a gross revenue insurance program, a net income stabilization account program or a revenue insurance program as defined in that Act.
``Standing Committee'' « comité permanent »	``Standing Committee'' means the Standing Committee of the House of Commons appointed to consider matters relating to agriculture.
Committee continued	3. The National Safety Net Review Committee established by the Minister is continued under this Act.
Objectives of Committee	4. (1) The Committee shall
	(a) continue its objective of developing policies and procedures to coordinate the delivery of protection programs by the federal and provincial governments and the information, assistance, relief and compensation related to such programs; and
	(b) within two years after the coming into force of this Act, examine all protection programs, advise the Minister as to whether they comply with the requirements of the World Trade Organization and recommend any changes that may be needed to secure such compliance.
Avoidance of duplication	(2) In carrying out its objective, the Committee shall cooperate with and avoid duplication of work undertaken by any part of the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
Members continuing	5. (1) The Committee shall continue with the same membership as before the coming into force of this Act for a period of three months after this Act comes into force.
New members appointed	(2) With effect from the day three months after this Act comes into force, the Committee shall be composed of twenty-four members nominated pursuant to subsection (3) who shall be appointed by the Minister for terms not exceeding three years.
Members nominated	(3) Of the members of the Committee
	(a) three shall be nominated by the Minister;
	(b) one may be nominated by the minister of the Crown for each province responsible for matters relating to agriculture;
	(c) five shall be representative of farmers and be nominated by such organizations representing farmers as are selected by the Minister; and
	(d) three shall be representative of industry related to agricultural products and be nominated by such organizations representing that industry as are selected by the Minister.
Chair and Vice Chair	(4) The Committee, at its first meeting, shall elect from among its membership a Chair and a Vice Chair.
By-laws and meetings	(5) The Committee may adopt by-laws to govern its own procedures.
Members expenses	(6) The members of the Committee may be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in attending to the meetings and business of the Committee as is authorized by order of the Governor in Council.
Powers of Committee	6. The Committee may
	(a) operate in subcommittees of no less than five members;
	(b) retain technical experts and counsel to assist it in its functions;
	(c) receive evidence on oath;
	(d) with the prior consent of the Minister, travel and hold public hearings; and
	(e) send one or more representatives to appear before the Standing Committee in order to present its draft proposals to the Standing Committee and receive the advice of the Standing Committee.
Reports	7. (1) The Committee may report to the Minister at any time on any subject within its mandate, if it has first discussed its proposed report with the Standing Committee, and shall report to the Minister by April 1 of every year on its functions during the previous calendar year, and submit a final report when it has concluded its work in accordance with the time limit imposed by section 4.
Reports laid before Parliament	(2) The Minister shall cause every report received pursuant to subsection (1) to be laid before both Houses of Parliament no later than the fifth day on which the House sits after the day the report is received by the Minister.
Minister's response laid before Parliament	(3) The Minister shall prepare a response to every report received pursuant to subsection (1) and cause the response to be laid before both Houses of Parliament no later than the fifth day on which the House sits after the expiry of ninety days from the day the Minister received the report.

Bill C-263

BILL C-263